Weston To Build Roundabout At Park

Officials Aim To Slow Flow Of Traffic At Entrance.

WESTON — By early next year, motorists entering Broward County Regional Park at Weston will be forced to slow down by a new, $1.18 million roundabout.

The roundabout, otherwise known as a traffic circle, is designed to improve the traffic flow and reduce speeding at the park's entrance at Saddle Club and South Post roads.

Traffic that now approaches the park from either Saddle Club or South Post no longer would be halted at stop signs, but would merge into the roundabout in order to enter the park.

Mayor Eric Hersh said the primary goal of the traffic circle will be to make the area safer by eliminating two problems -- motorists who do not stop at the stop signs, and also speed through the entrance into the park.

"There is a 10-mph speed zone, and we need to slow them down,'' Hersh said. "There is also a crosswalk and the new YMCA is being built [in the park], so we can't have people coming through there at 40 miles per hour. "Everything we have been shown about roundabouts is that they work, are effective and force people to slow down and pay attention, since you cannot just go straight."

It will be the city's first roundabout, and city officials said its design would reflect Weston's style.

"We could have done it with no landscaping or amenities, but when we consider where it's going to be, the front of a $15 million facility, we believe it was justified and it will add to the value of the city of Weston and keep up the property values -- and that it's the premiere place to be," City Manager John Flint said.

Existing sidewalks, pedestrian crosswalks, signs, the park's entry gates and flagpoles all will be replaced with updated equipment and facilities. Mature trees and shrubs will be planted.

Workers also will install brick pavers, streetlights and lighting for the plants, and move the location of an electronic message board that promotes upcoming activities.

City commissioners recently awarded the project to the low bidder, Tenex Enterprises of Coral Springs.

The work, scheduled to start in August, is expected to take six months to complete. The entrance will remain open during the work but there may be some delays, city officials said.

When trying to solve the park's entryway traffic problem, city officials considered a traffic signal but decided on the roundabout.

"We looked at the pros and cons of a traffic signal vs. the roundabout, and from a traffic standpoint, there is a greater benefit when the concern is about the speed of vehicles entering the park," Flint said.

Nicole T. Lesson can be reached at nlesson@sun-sentinel.com or 954-385-7920.